Missing
by ladierock
Summary: Everything after Jesse and his friend never happened except for the attack. Rose is missing,Lissa's worried, and no one believes her. She's getting the feeling something terrible happened. The story is better than the summary i hope. L/R/DPOV. DIsclaimer.
1. Pacing

Lissa's POV

Almost an hour had passed. I'd asked Rose to pick up a late letter from court in the main office and she still hadn't come back. The bond between us only works one way but a best friend's intuition kicks in when she's knows something's wrong.

I paced in front of Guardians Belikov and Hathaway. Like all other guardians on campus, two of the best well known guardians, Guardians Belikov and Rose's visiting mom Guardian Hathaway, had been assigned to guard me even on campus after the attack on the school. We were in the dhampire's dorm lobby, waiting for Rose. My heart rate increased with each pace.

"Princess Lissa, I'm sure Rose is fine," the lobbyist reassured watching me behind the counter.

"She's been gone a long time. I think maybe we should go out and look for her," I suggested.

"Rosemarie gets distracted easily. She's probably out talking to some friends or something of the other," Janine suggested.

A dark thought formed in my head: _how would you know? You're never here long enough to know what she's like._

She must of read the expression on my face because next she agreed with me. "We should probably go out and look for her."

"The attacks on campus have everyone paranoid and ancy. Just wait a while-" the lobbyist tried to tell me but I interrupted her.

"We've been waiting for an hour now. Why didn't we go with her?"

"She wouldn't let you go out in the cold," Dimitri reminded me.

"Yes. Her over protectiveness is something you should appreciate and cherish," Janine told me.

"I know."

I sat down a minute before pacing again. Something was wrong. I knew it. _This must be what Rose feels like when no one believes her, _the thought occurred to me. _And usually she's right! _

"Okay. Weather any of you believe me or not I am using my rank as royalty to my best advantage to go out and save my best friend if needed," I announced yanking my sweater on and running out the door.

I guess I expected them to be surprised by my sudden outburst to take charge because it surprised me when both were trailing after me quicker than I thought either could move. I called the cell phone my parents bought for her so we could keep in contact easier (before the psychic bond kicked in). There was no reception in the dorms for me to call.

The phone kept ringing. I left a panicked message.

"Listen Princess Lissa, if you're going to run around campus searching for Rose-" Janine started.

"-Then we can at least narrow down the areas where she's more likely to be," Dimitri finished. "The majority of campus is closed off because the wards have yet to be replaced so there's only a few places she can be."

I ended the third call I was trying to make to her and turned to face them.

"Well we know she's not at the dorms," I narrowed down. "There's no reason for her to be in the other three dorms because she knows where we are."

"How do we know she hasn't returned to the dorms already?" Janine suggested.

"She would've answered her phone. I know she took it with her. She'd never go anywhere without it if we're apart. Bond or no bond."

"Okay, the only areas open and for senior dhampires are the main offices and the records building where lost mail is put. She might of thought that's where your letter from court was since it was late," Dimitri said.

We took the path headed for the records building slowly, looking for any signs of where she'd gone. With us leaving the academy without permission for two years on our record it was hard to officially say she was missing.

_I'm not over reacting. Something's wrong. _I thought still walking.

Something cracked under my heel. It was the charm Rose wore that Janine had given her.

"I'm starting to believe you more," she said bending to pick it up. My heel had made a crack down the middle but other than that it was all right.

"So am I. Keep trying to call her cell phone," Dimitri agreed.

I called again expecting it to just ring and go to her voice mail like last time but instead I heard her ring tone echoing somewhere close.

"Oh god," I whispered to my self. Both guardians searched following the sound of the ring tone.

They found her phone ringing and vibrating on the ground by the stairs that led down to where the records office was.

I was about to open my mouth to point out how right I was when Guardian Petrov came toward us, a hand full of other guardians behind her scouring the bushes and forest around us.

"What's going on?" Dimitri asked.

"Those kids that attacked you Miss Dragomir, Jesses, Ralph, and other of his…group had managed to use their element abilities and compulsion to knock out the guardians watching them. They ran loose around the campus attacking anyone who came near them shouting that soon moroi would fight or something or the other. I think they were starting their initiation attacks again because we've found at least ten students unconscious and bleeding. We're looking for the attackers now and any more injured students. What are you guys doing out here?"

Janine explained calmly about Rose missing. Alberta nodded and listened while I continued searching for any signs for Rose.

"If she was outside while they were out on a rampage, she could be hurt."

"No, Rosie is strong, she would never-"

"There are at most fifteen of them and one of her Miss Drogamir."

"Then why'd you let them loose," I shouted. Dimitri placed a calm hand on my shoulder, a warning for me to calm down. I sounded _a lot_ like my M.I.A. best friend right now.


	2. Left With Fears and Prayers

"What do you think we should do?" Dimitri asked. I thought he always had an idea on how to react in such situations but I guess he's just turning to Alberta out of respect.

"I think, we continue the search and hope for the best. Miss Dragomir I think it would be best-"

"I don't think so. My best friend is somewhere on this campus and missing and I intend to be there when we find her," I put in. All three looked shocked. She nodded once and went towards a few other guardians who found something in the bushes.

The search went on for what felt like eternity. Crawling through trees, listening for sounds and hoping for the best. _  
Everything that's happened to us and you're going to take her away from me now, _I thought looking up at the sky. I hadn't expected a reply but the sky got darker and the wind picked up

_I guess so._

The only thing keeping me going was the scene I kept playing in my head: Rose jumping out of the bushes scaring the snot out of me saying, "gotcha!" and cackling like crazy. We'd had a lot of good memories like that, me usually being the target of such jokes but in the end laughing and forgiving her. I can only hope for the best but it wasn't enough this time. Especially with a guardian now shouting, "we found someone!"

I raced out of the side of the trees, Janine and Dimitri not far behind and stopped.

A scream caught in my throat.

_No._


	3. What happened while Liss was waiting?

RPOV

"It's almost less than forty degrees outside Liss," I complained. "Is the letter really important?"

"Yes. Please," she begged. "What happened to that saying they teach you here…uh…do anything for the moroi you're assigned to?"

"You fixed that saying so it made sense in your favor. It's do anything to _protect_ the moroi you're assigned to. Are you in any danger?" I asked crossing my hands over my chest.

"Yes. For both me and you," she said in a high-pitched little girl's voice.

"How so?"

"This is a life or death situation. Look if this is the letter I've been waiting for about my getting into the college of my place and securing a place at court that could mean my life is set but if I don't get this letter my future could fall right before my eyes and I end up falling into a deep dark depression and living in a box that you and Dimitri guard outside of the Court's walls because you didn't get the letter!"

I lifted my brows in a Dimitri type way and stared.

"I think you just had a break down. You're too tense and you over think everything. Take a deep breathe, sit down and I will go and get the stupid letter for you," I said grabbing my jacket.

"Maybe I should go with you."

"After that monologue you gave me about your life crumbling I don't think so. Plus it's way too cold outside."

"So why is it okay for you and not me?"

"Because, I thought dhampires are supposed to do anything to _protect_ the moroi their assigned to," I said in official Guardian Petrov type way. She rolled her eyes and pushed me toward the door.

I caught a glimpse of my mom and Dimitri smiling before walk out into the cold. A rush of wind hit me dead in the face before Mason appeared and after my headache formed.

_Great._

"Mase!" In a weird way he gave me one of those adorable smiles I'd always loved. Slowly I moved toward him in a cautious way. "What are you…"

Unlike before he was able to speak in an almost audible whisper, weather it was because of the way he died or just a ghost thing I didn't know.

"There's trouble," he whispered.

"Where?" After the attack almost a week ago, on the school and Liss, I found it hard to believe anything worse could possibly happen. He didn't answer but instead faded away like before. _You're a big help._

Letting those two nagging words echo in my head like a song I continued towards the main office. Guardians were scattered everywhere. Behind, tracking their assigned moroi (how necessary it became to have to be guarded on campus), scouring the bushes, circling around Alberta. Something was going on. I'd been involved in enough the past week; me butting in and being nosy was (for the first time in my life) not on my mind.

The woman in the office checked and told me the letter was most likely in the mail/record room.

Where would there be more trouble? Mase now would be a good time to cross over or help me!

Still thinking, I was about to take my last step down the stairs when I heard the screams.

Jesse and one of his goons again.

Great! All of this for a letter for Liss.

A moroi, probably freshman, laid on the ground at their feet screaming. Her face was bruised and bloodied and Jesse's hand was raised, probably using air on her, a painful form of vampire torture.

"Hey!" I shouted heading toward them on the edge of the woods. _How had they gotten off the hook for what they did to Liss and the others?_

They only turned toward me a dark look in their eyes, almost strogoi like.

"Hathaway, come to join the fun or will she give out the bitch like slaps she did yesterday?" Jesse laughed.

_I made out with this jackass?!!!_

What I assumed was just Jesse and one of his friends turned out to be Jesse and all of his friends.

Crap!!!

"No, I came to kick your ass first but it can wait 'til later," I shot.

They surrounded me and the other girl who was unconscious now. Fear ran a finger down my back and circled around me. I didn't let it show though. They laughed all laughed around me.

"I doubt that."

"What a waste," I snared.

"What is?" he asked playing along.

"All such pretty faces but no brains. No I'm going to have to mess them up."

"Riiiiiiight," Ralph drawled out. They all took at least a step forward closing in on us. My only priority was to get the moroi out of here and then follow soon after. Punching each and every one of their faces in was an option.

"I should say the same to you," Jesse said. I raised my brows. "Such a pretty face and hot body and yet…I doubt you'll walk away from here, untouched. A bit hurt actually. Maybe dead," he laughed cackling.

Was he serious? So this is what Mason meant.

I kept the conversation (banter) going, keeping him talking long enough for at least someone to walk by. At this point, I'd take Adrian.

"Lemme get this straight. You're going to kill me because I, a girl, embarrassed you and turned all of you guys in?"

"It's a thought," one of them said.

"And when the guardians realize about fifteen or twenty of their…students is missing and two girls are missing…"

"We'll put them out like we did about an hour ago. Being moroi has some advantages," Ralph answered.

Giving up on waiting for somebody to walk by I stood as close to the moroi as possible and hoped the worst would soon be over as Jesse moved closer, a knife at hand saying, "We want to make sure, you're dead this time."


	4. Is it her?

Author's Note: Sorry I couldn't update immediately. I've been side tracked then went through a slight writer's block phase but the fanfic is here now. I hope ya like it and thank Richelle Mead cause all credit goes to her!!! Please review. :D

LPOV

Normally when someone is found injured, hurt or other wise everyone immediately moves forward towards the injured person. Being a spirit user my first thought should have been to heal and save the day but with the defaced body on the ground and shock running through each and everyone of us, no one moved, breathed or blinked for that matter.

It was basically _Pompeii _without the ash.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Alberta moved forward and bent over what I was sure was a lifeless body. Gently she nudged the body's shoulder but there was no response. One of the guardians behind me uttered an," oh no."

From my peripheral I could see Janine turn away, her hands in her hair whispering, "oh my gosh," and shaking her head.

Dimitri looked stiff, his jaw clenched in a Christian like way. We'd all thought that the attack on the school was the worst thing that could happen but were proven wrong, sent into shock. A chill ran through me breaking my gaze and slowly pushing me forward. Dimitri moved to stop me but thought better of it when I shot him a sympathetic look. He nodded once and I kept moving forward. It seemed with each aching step I took, the disfigured body seemed farther away. Alberta hung her head, her hand resting on the side of the neck and the wrist checking both places for a pulse.

When I finally reached them I fell to my knees eyes agape. Alberta gave out orders in a stern, strained voice,

"Guardian Michaels, please go and tell Headmistress Kirova that we've…discovered a body."

_Rose's body?_

I assumed he nodded once because I didn't hear him answer. His throat was probably as stiff as mine was right now.

"Guardians Shelov and Ackles, alert The Court about the situation going on right about now. The rest of you gather all active guardians on campus. I don't care if they're on leave, I want them searching for these boys and if they have a problem with that send them straight to me. Guardian Belikov can you please send for Dr. Odlenski. I don't want to find any more bodies like this."

They were strong orders. After a heartbeat passed, everyone went into action. I was left with Alberta and our unidentified body. Her clothes were stained deep red, face disfigured, hair dark with blood. The only thing alive about her was her eyes. Wide, crystal clear and wet from tears she shed before her death.

Please don't let this be her…please!

"Do you see anything on her that you can identify her with Lissa?" she asked in a hoarse, tired voice. With everything going on I'm sure she'd gotten less than an hours sleep.

I moved my eyes over her searching for something. She wasn't wearing any jewelry and neither was Rose this morning, her clothes were too ruined to identify them with and her hair was soppy and knotted with blood.

"I don't see anything to…Rose was wearing a bracelet but we found that and its chain on the ground a while ago."

"I can't believe this happened," she said not hearing me.

"Things are changing. Rose said so her self. Moroi and dhampires are practically turning against each other. Soon the strogoi will be picking us one by one so easily our population will be decreased within years," I mumbled. Alberta nodded knowing this was true. We all knew this was coming sometime with the way things were going but none of us were ready for it. We'd never be ready for it. Strogoi are taking over.

That's it!

We must of gotten the same idea at the same time because next thing I knew we were turning the body over holding her hair over her head. If this was really Rose she'd have three marks on her neck symbolizing the strogoi she's killed, two from Spokane and one for the battle last week.

_Please don't be there, _I prayed silently as Alberta rubbed the blood from her neck away…


	5. No cluess given, just an unlikely source

RPOV

_Giving up on waiting for somebody to walk by I stood as close to the moroi as possible and hoped the worst would soon be over as Jesse moved closer, a knife at hand saying, "We want to make sure, you're dead this time."_

"Whoa! Whoa wait!" Adrian's voice called from behind the mob. They all turned to him, threatening him with their menacing glances; he raised his hand up like this was a stick up. That knife pointed at me reminded me it was. A stick up for our lives!

_It had to be Adrian!_

Against better judgment, I started to move toward him (almost grateful) when Ralph held up his hands, wielding the element air (a tight ass grip on my breath mind-you) taking the breath out of me.

"Stop," Adrian ordered, probably hoping compulsion would work but, like the organized mob of moroi they were, they'd probably learned to shake it off. Ralph tightened.

"Scared Hathaway? Really?" Jesses asked mocking me, shoving Adrian toward us, in the center of the mob.

_The Targets. _

Jesse circled around the three of us spinning the chain of the large pocketknife on his finger. His eyes were crazed and roving.

"She should be," Ralph snorted. I resisted shooting him an _"Are you seriously that much of a dork to snort" _and kept my attention on Jesse, air returned to my lungs. I nearly fell to the floor gasping.

_Think; think of a plan, _I repeated to Adrian as if he could hear me. Damn the one way telepathic ability between Liss and I. Adrian held me up by my fore arm with an ounce of worry in his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" He chuckled then remembered where we were.

"You should be happy I came along," he shot, hand upraised again, with laughter in his voice.

"For the moment I am but no more stupid questions. We have to get out of here," I whispered.

"No duh obvious!" he said too loudly.

He stood directly in front of us, finger tapping his chin contemplating.

"So what do you guys think? Kidnap? Torture?" he asked to no one in particular.

"I prefer life," Adrian suggested.

"Will you shut up!" He gave me a wistful smile The group, smaller now that afew of them departed in search of other targets, talked about what to do with us, while I stood there think of what to do.

There was nowhere really to run to on the off chance we would getaway from the surrounding moroi. Running through the forest with an unconscious girl leaning on both of our arms would be like walking straight into the knife Jesse was wielding, his expression on his face obvious.

Death was eminent and emending.

Interrupting their debate, Adrian spoke up. Of course.

_Out of all the people in the world you could of sent me, Adrian!!!_

"Let me get this straight. You're going to kill us for revenge and then what? What are each and everyone of you going to gain from this?" he asked stalling to give me more time.

_Did Dimitri only appear when I needed one of his holiday specials/quotes of Zen? What a great guardian coach he is, not preparing me for _this.

"Satisfaction," someone said. A wave of laughter followed.

"Ok but I mean…really…there'll be nothing but a death on each an every one of your hands. Killing to get what you want? Really?" He asked in a think-about-what-the-smart-guy-said-for-a-second voice.

"It's the only way to get the government's attention," one of them said.

"Killing royalty?" Adrian asked. By now I realized we could only rely on Adrian talking them out of murdering us.

"Even better," Jesse laughed. He was like another Victor!

"No wait," a voice stopped at the back of the group. It was Greg, another senior moroi known for his jackass-ness and back talk. He was of course apart of Jesse's rebellion. "He may have something there."

"Meaning," Ralph threatened.

"Meaning, that killing them will get us some attention but nothing really to gain except publicity. Dark publicity mind you but publicity nonetheless. Why not hold them for se? Hathaway, you've been kidnapped before tell me how did they do it?" He asked in an almost serious voice.

I rolled my eyes when they laughed.

"Was this what your brilliant plan to save our lives?" I asked, an itch in my hand wanting to slap him.

He gave me a charming smile and said," Its better than being dead."

"They'll kill us eventually! I can't believe this. All of this for a letter for Liss and now I'm being kidnapped, again! By students!"

"At least you have me," he grinned. I couldn't help but smile back at him. I'd grown to be comfortable around Adrian, unable to resist when he gave me a hundred watts smile Dimitri rarely showed.

_Did I just think that? _

"Good point," Jesse said listening. "We only need one of you. The easy part is, deciding which one."


	6. Wanted Dead and Fighting

RPOV

"Nice going genius," I shot suddenly turning on Adrian.

Jesse and six others of his group turned to each other in discussion, leaving four moroi behind us at a safe distance so we could whisper.

"Hey, my geniusness could only last for oh so long," he admitted shrugging.

"Point proven, how do we get out of this?" I asked gesturing around us.

"You're the dhampire shouldn't you be guarding me?"

"This is no time for lame humor. Help me think," I ordered giving my self a headache.

_A headache! Mason!_ _That's it! I just have to figure a way to summon Mason!_

"I need to summon Mason," I said more to my self than Adrian.

He didn't shoot me 'wow she really is nuts look' or question what I was saying not believing in my ghost seeing all the way but keeping an open mind. Another Dimitri. He nodded once and said, "It only works when the wards are down."

It wasn't a question but I nodded in agreement. "How'd you know?"

"I looked it up. You'd be surprised what you could find in that library of your when you actually go there to study," he informed me.

"Liss told me that same thing once," I mumbled.

"Yeah well she was right. Its what I was on my way to tell you when…this happened. Thanks for the invite and warm welcome," he thanked sarcastically.

"Anytime dude. What else?"

"That was pretty much it," he said pursing his lips.

"Well, I figured that much out without a book!"

"Need you ruin my mojo? I was on a roll, little dhampire," he said in a cute, little boy like voice.

"You have magic, you'll always have mojo. Use said Magic mojo to get us some help and outta of here," I told him.

"I can't do all four elements at once, Rose Dear. With all this charm and good lucks even I'm not that powerful."

"No but what about spirit? Isn't that powerful enough to represent all four?"

"I wouldn't know. Never tried it before, but now is a nice time."

He shut his eyes in focus, concentrating hard. Perspiration appeared on his forehead, even on a cold day like this. While he was trying to use spirit I bent down to the girl at our fit and check her for a pulse.

I gasped.

She was dead.

"Bastard," I muttered under my breath towards Jesse. He didn't hear me but the moroi behind me grunted and nudged me with his foot to stand up. I shot him my most pissed off look taking him back for a second. He regained his composure and circled me closer with the other two beside him. I stood up from my crouch and patted Adrian on the shoulder.

"Forget about using spirit. She's dead and I need to kick their asses," I muttered gesturing towards them. He crouched down, trying to heal I guessed, but it was too late and he wasn't as powerful as Lissa was.

"Damn," he whispered. He looked as ticked as I'm sure I did right about now. "I'm with you all the way."


	7. Two points of view, both worried

DPOV

Too much was going on. Under the circumstances, I'd say I have every right to storm around the school dishing out violence to any one who stands in my way of finding her.

My rose.

My Roza.

I tried not to assume the worst when Lissa's fears kicked in, voicing them aloud. I tried to take in Janine Hathaway's excuses for her daughter. That she'd got distracted as usual but Lissa was right. Nothing would get in Roza's way if it were for Lissa.

I tried to picture Rose alive and all right but with the recent events, everyone's emotions are on high, and the image of Roza bound and gagged can't help but flash in my mind.

Instead, while trying watching Lissa pace, creating a track on the floor, I thought of her smile, her funny sarcasm moments, her laugh.

It didn't help.

Something was wrong and we knew it.

I could almost literally feel it. An aching but kept brushing it off. Trying to at least while reassuring Lissa.

"We've been waiting for an hour now. Why didn't we go with her?" She'd asked still pacing.

"She wouldn't let you go out in the cold," I reminded her.

It didn't help. Janine did her part, trying to reassur us all but Lissa became as determined as Roza always is. For a split second, I couldn't tell weather it was Rose pacing across the floor or Lissa.

The search for her lasted a lifetime for me. We pushed through branches and bushes, after narrowing down the ways she could've gone. No sign.

I felt weary, drained of color and emotion with the words repeating in my head.

"Something's wrong, something's wrong…"

I wanted to be on the road, as Roza and I were what seems like a lifetime ago, driving her to meet a few well known guardians. I wanted to drive away from this wicked life style guardians lead, and take her with me.

Drive until we reached the shores, waves of freedom rolling through us.

I wanted it so badly my head ached with longing.

Soon after finding Rose's charm, Alberta informed us on the worst.

Jesse and his friends got away from them attacking students. Rose had been right.

Janine's voice was level with her expression. Emotionless, monotone, numb.

Lissa looked broken and lost. Her other half was missing, her rock of protection, and she didn't know what to do.

I felt like the life had been pulled out of me along with my heart. All of us are worried, broken, realizing the changes ahead, to come. We're still worried, ten ton pounds dropped on our shoulders after founding the body that resembled Rose in oh so many ways.

_No._

I could feel the clench of my jaw and the anger swell up in my throat along with sadness.

_It's not her it can't be her._

Albert announced her death although it was obvious. Lissa stepped forward. First instinct kicked in for me to stop her from remembering the horror in front of all of us but she shot me a melting look that could've sent anyone to their knees. I let her move foreword on her knees, kneeling beside the body. More determined now than usual, to keep us all alert and moving, she gave out orders.

I caught glances of all the guardians faces.

We were going to end this any way it had to.

If there were every a time for me to stay open minded, it would be now.

LPOV

It wasn't her. There were no markings on her neck. I should've been happy and leapt for joy but there were a few things keeping me from hopping on the happy go lucky train.

Somebody was killed today.

It was done by one of our own.

No one can be trusted.

I'm tingling with the need to start giving out some sweet revenge of my own.

My best friend is still missing.


	8. Sending A Message

RPOV

It wasn't so much that they were planning on killing one of us or so much that they were going to kidnap us or that they were holding us hostage even. It was the fact that they thought they were going to get away with all of this. It nearly pained me that they think they're going to kill us and get away free and the off chance that they would.

"I have our first move," I whispered to Adrian.

"Only the first?"

"It's better than nothing. There are only two of them behind us and I have sixteen years worth of training, one year worth of Dimitri training, and many years of built up anger. We can take them and make it away far enough to get help," I told him. He nodded careful to speak in a whisper. All novice and moroi have great hearing.

"Okay sounds good. I have years worth of worth of watching dhampire train and fight, nine years worth of smoking and drinking, and a few days worth of muscle from trying not to drink and smoke. I can throw a punch," he admitted.

It wasn't much but it was all we had.

_We're goners. _

I was about to step back and through the first hit but Jesse stepped toward us, his lackeys close behind.

"Come on. Move it," he ordered. We were pushed from behind; lead into the edges of the forest surrounding the school.

"Damn," we whispered in unison.

"We can still-"

"Shut the hell up!" Ralph shouted pointing something into my rib cage, interrupting Adrian.

"You were saying," I shot at him.

We walked for a while deeper and deeper into an unknown part of the forest. The trees morphed closer together, a large break building coming into view.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked pulling my arm out of Ralph's grasp.

"One of three of the abandon watch buildings. Nobody ever walks back here except for us of course so we should be able to keep you both there until other arrangements can be made," he blabbed.

"Ralph," Jesse hissed.

"What do you mean arrangements? The entire school is probably out looking for all of you if you've done all the stupid stuff you say you did you nimrod. Even the boundaries of the school are being searched."

"How would you know Hathaway?"

Oops. Only a handful of people knew about the bond Lissa and I shared. Adrian shut his eyes in an I can't believe she just let that out expression.

Luckily, the question was dropped. I took that is and advantage to slip into Lissa's head. She was scouring the branches, guardians doing the same around here. They were searching, like I thought they were.

The old watch building reeked of must, cobwebs hanging low from the ceilings. The windows were broken, and all of the old furniture was covered with plastic, dust building up on top of it.

Adrian and I were told to stand against the far wall where a fireplace used to stand.

"Think we can still take them?" he asked.

"Not with them gathered together like that. I don't get it. What are they trying to do? Send a message. About what?"

"About moroi and dhampires, novice turning guardians infuriates them because they can't fight while you guys can. They can only stand by and watch."

He stopped and I looked up at him, a confused look on my face.

"That was insightful. How'd you get all of that from the little tibits of info they've been dropping?

:"Their auras, I catch glimpses of their thoughts here and there. It's weird to explain."

"Ah."

"But yeah they want to send a message that moroi will eyes and forever take over."

"I'm supposed to be able to read people and even I didn't get that," I whispered.

"You're not as insightful as I am."

I rolled my eyes ignoring that comment.

"Why are they going to use us though? What makes us so special?"

"What doesn't?" he asked arrogantly. Again I rolled my eyes trying to resist knocking him in the face.

"Look. Well known novice and future guardian of a royal princes who is going someday rule half of our government by the time she's in college and the always popular and well known…me," he said with a smile.

"Well I hope your royal ass and my kick ass guardian skills can get us out of here because last I checked, they only way to send a message is to kill."

(To be continued)…immediately after this. I know the story is going kinda slow but I'm having a moment of fanfic writer's block.


	9. Holding

RPOV

I couldn't believe it. Lissa and all of the school were searching for us but didn't know where to look.

"_I can't get a hold of Adrian. He always has his phone on. What if he's with her?" Lissa said, her voice in a high-pitched shriek. _

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Ms. Dragomir," Alberta said walking toward a group of guardians awaiting her orders.

"_I think a few of you guardian tried to tell me that before an look what's happened. When are all of you going to take into fact that students have turned against students, against our school, hell against our government!!! They didn't just kill one of our own they've take one of four own and instead of trying to stay organized we need to actually start doing something," she shouted. Everyone was staring at her worried._

_She felt automatically guilty when the words left her lips. _

_Alberta turned on her heel, and faced her a grim expression on her face. "If we don't stay organized, everyone will start going crazy, acting as visual aunties taking our laws into their own hands. I'm sure we are all aware that a trust has been broken between us but why don't you leave the organizing to me."_

_Alberta turned away then. I could feel my self-flinch, resisting for wanting to smack Alberta for talking to her like that. _

"Things are out of control," we both thought in unison.

I broke out of Lissa's head and back into the watch house,

"What's going on?" Adrian asked, reading the expression on my face. He could tell I was sucked into her head.

"Lissa thinks you're missing too but everyone's too panicked to listen to her and Alberta just told her off which I'm going to ignore right now," I rambled. He pursed his lips taken this new info in

"…think we have things figured out. Ralph call them."

"Call who?" I asked. .

"Your buyers of course."

"Buyers? What are you going to send us to a brothel 'cause male prostitution isn't my thing, I don't swing that way," Adrian spoke up.

"No you idiot. Strogoi are looking for a few royals to buy and you two are close enough," Jesse smiled.

"I'm not royal," I told them, pointing out the obvious.

"We know that, but we also know about your weird closeness bond to Lissa. Didn't think we did, did you?" one of the moroi asked in a sing-song voice. "We threw you ooff thinking we didn't."

"Oh-Kay," Adrian and I said together. These moroi were more nuts than Adrian at the moment.

"Anyways, since this now involves you, here's what's going on. Strogoi and humans are looking to buy royals and since you guys are all we have, we made them a deal," Jesse explained. Another moroi stepped forward to speak. I remembered his name being Caleb.

"We were going to use that other whore, but since she refused we thought she'd have better use as a…message."

"So you killed her you evil son of a-"

"Rosie. Stop," Adrian whispered. The beautifully calm look in his eyes and the sound of his voice calmed me down and it wasn't even compulsion he was using. I closed my mouth and stepped closer to the wall.

"Anyways," he continued. "Prices are high for dhampire and moroi these days and with the statuses you both have, we'll be wealthier than we already are and be sending a message at the same time."

"Killing two birds with one stone,' Jesse finished.

"Wow I hate you," I shot at him. "I don't know what I saw in such an arrogant, evil, asshole such as your self, I can't even believe I made out with trash like you!"

"I know babe, I've been thinking the same thing about you," he said reaching for my face.

I grabbed his wrist turning him, pinning it around his back so that his shoulder popped and cracked. He yelped. My anger was boiling high and I'm sure I had a crazed look in my eyes. The darkness was taking over but at the moment I didn't care.


	10. Hostaged

RPOV

They advanced on us. I held Jesse by the throat and back as far against the wall as possible.

"Way to hold back your temper, now they're going to kill us. Nice going little dhampire," Adrian said stepping closer to me. A clank echoed in the room, Adrian stepping on a metal wood poker thing.

"Nice," he said grateful. He picked it up and motioned it around in corny way.

"This isn't a Japanese movie just aim and stab if they come near."

"You got it." He held it in a defensive way. Something occurred to me at that moment.

"You can wield the elements. Why didn't you wield any-"

"They were using a weird kind of hold against me," he interrupted. "I couldn't use nay of my abilities."

Jesse tried to squirm out of my grip. MY hands tightened on his throat so that if I didn't let go within a few minutes he'd asphyxiate.

"Move even a fraction of a inch and ill kill you, unintentional or not," I threatened, he stiffened.

"Time to go," Adrian said. We inched towards the door each of the gang of moroi stepping back.

"Kill th-," Jesse tried to say but I tightened on his throat.

"Go," Adrian shouted. Finally, towards the door and almost towards freedom, I almost smiled. I would have if I didn't have Jesse clutched tight to my chest. He chocked gasping for air. Holding back as best as I could the urge to kill him I loosened my grip.

We made it out of the safe us, the moroi gang soon trailing after us eager to get Jesse back.

Why, I thought. We ran through the forest, unsure of which way we'd come but it didn't matter, as long as we were away from them. Fear wasn't what sent a chill down my back. The nausea was.

Oh no.

"Adrian I think-" I was about to say. Just then, my grip on Jesse loosened and I fell to the ground, a striking blow knocking me out.


	11. Christian's Playing The Blame Game

LPOV

Two cell phones were found a few feet away from where the body was. Adrian and Rose's

_At least they're together; _I thought trying to stay positive. I was ordered, along with every other student on campus to return to my dorm room until further notice. I protested at first in a Rose like way but they just shot me a look. Apparently my rebellion skills weren't as good as hers. Yet.

I stomped back to the dorms, two guardians trailed a distance behind me, to make sure I didn't go off on my own. They left when they saw I made it through the dorm. MY worries didn't ease, but only grew as I made it up the stairs to my room. It had been hours now, and with every second that passed, was a second Rose could be dead, Adrian laying beside her somewhere. The thing that irked me was that all of this was happening on campus; someplace we were told we could be safe and secure.

I sure feel secure and safe now.

"Hey," Christian greeted, appearing from behind the doorway. My shriek was silenced as he clamped his hand over my mouth.

"What are you…how'd you get up here?" I asked surprised. I felt better with him here but only for a second. He hugged me tight and closed my door behind him.

"I thought you were at your aunt Tasha's."

"I was but I got back. I've been looking for you for hours. Where've you been?"

"Looking for Rose."

"Oh yeah. I heard about what was going. How are you dealing?" he asked sitting us on the edge of my bed. I pulled my hair behind my ears and rested against his chest and sighed.

"I don't know. I feel so helpless. This is like the second or third time I thought she was dead in one year. I mean what the hell am I cursed or something?"

He chuckled stroking my hair lightly.

"She's the one who's been kidnapped, attacked, and killing strogoi and she's lost one of her friends and you think you're the one who's cursed?"

It hurt. Not because of what he said but because it was true. I shook my head pulling away from him.

"Are you saying this is some how my fault," I accused.

"I didn't say that. I'm just saying you should take into consideration about how cursed Rose feels."

"I have taken into consideration how Rose feels. She's my best friend and she's missing and you're sitting here basically telling me it's wrong to fell-"

"Liss I wasn't trying to-" he started reaching for me. I slapped his arm away and stood moving toward the window.

"Aren't you supposed to side with me and be there for me to comfort me because right now you're like blaming me for everything Rose has gone through."

"I'm not! Besides how would you know? You're so busy thinking about your self and your status to worry about anyone else lately. Do you even know what's going on with Adrian and his aunt, and Rose and her darkness or what ever? You're sitting here while they've been kidnapped again and suddenly you're the cursed one."

With Adrian's help, I'd learned to get a feel of people's emotions, reading their auras. Christian was mad at me yes but he was also reliving what he went through when he was kidnapped a few months ago. I thought about wanting to forgive him, wanting to just be held and feel secure but I was mad and actually hated him right now.

I was about to open my mouth and mutter an, "I'm sorry." He instead, stood up from the bed shaking his head, anger filling those blue eyes I loved.

"Whatever Liss. I'm going to go see what I can do to, dare I say, to save Rose since you don't seem to be trying to." The door slammed leaving me in shock and in tears.


	12. Leaving Adrian Shocked

APOV

There was something heavy, lying against me. I opened my eyes to darkness. It felt weird to see nothing around you, basically being blind. Dripping was heard from a distance. I rolled whatever was on top of me onto the floor with a thud.

Oops.

I nudged Rose in the ribs because my hands were behind my back. She didn't stir. The last thing I remembered was Rose going down head first onto the ground. It couldn't be Jesse since he was somewhat cowering like the wimp he is in Rose's grasp before she went down.

Was it one of the moroi gang members?

We have gangs now. Great. I could hear shouting and a door close. Someone was stomping down stairs coming towards me and my unconscious little dhampire. I tried to sit up, my head spinning in protest like it would when I had a hangover. I flopped back down onto the concrete with thud.

Ouch.

The door opened, light beaming from the doorway. I squinted against the brightness and angled away from it squirming on the floor.

"Look who's awake," a strong accented voice greeted. The silhouette of three people stood at the doorway and slowly descended the stairs. The Jesse kid (with purple bruising on his neck), a strogoi (eyes rimmed red), and what I'm sure is a guardian, stake hanging on his jeans.

This obviously wasn't a rescue.

The guardian stepped out of the light and into view. It was that guardian Stan, Rose was always complaining about.

Oh Crap.

"Adrian Ivaskov, very, unexpected but always nice," the strogoi said knelling beside me. He looks familiar but I couldn't place my finger on it. "Long time no see." Guardian Stan went over to Rose nudged her with his shoe and made an _tsk tsk ts_k, in a disappointed way, shaking his head. "I actually thought she'd be better than this."

Jesse pushed passed him and kicked Rose repeatedly until Stan said, "enough," in a bleak tone.

I wanted to protest, to break free of these bindings but I was too stunned to even blink.

What the hell is going on? 


	13. Following Leads

Author's Note: There are a lot more Point Of Views than I intended there to be so sorry if it seems confusing.

CPOV

I didn't know where to start. I was known for being the rebellious student of our great academy (besides Rose of course) so the thought of getting caught didn't cross my mind. As a matter of fact, Lissa's hurt expression was the only thing running through my mind. I can't believe that I said that to her. She deserved it for the way she'd been acting but guilt melted that feeling away.

I shook my head hoping my thoughts would fall away (of course they didn't) and continued walking, slipping down the back stairs of the moroi dorms and behind the buildings. The school was out of whack. Every one was jumpy and paranoid, worried about another breech. Now trust issues were forming.

I was helping Rose because she'd saved me twice now. I at least owed it to her. Plus a somewhat, unlikely but comfortable friendship was forming between us. This is what friends do.

I'd have to teach that to Liss one day.

I stuck behind the buildings on the outskirts of the forest. I'd gotten word that a few of the injured were found here and the body was found on the trail to the records building. For once I was grateful for the big-mouthed gossipers of St. Vladimir's. I could hear the voices of guardians on the other side of the buildings. One of them I'm sure was Rose's mom Janine Hathaway.

"It's been over four hours now. Our options are limited and we're running short on clues. Where do we go from here?" Silence followed, sat for a few seconds and then headmistress Kirova answered.

"Well, as you said, options are running low. The only thing we can do is fan out farther but in groups. I don't want anyone alone."

"We don't have that many guardians on campus for such a task as that," Guardian Celeste pointed out. I'd been in trouble with her enough times to recognize her voice. I could hear a sigh, a brief silence, and then a reply.

"Look. We can't bring in any more guardians. We're going to have to work with what we have. In case any of you have noticed there's a shortage of our fellow protectors," Alberta said.

"Okay so what do we do?" Janine sounded so much like Rose it was creepy.

"I think as long as we move in pairs we should be okay," Belikov said.

"I don't know. They took out five of our guardians. And they were together," Alberta told them.

None of them said anything probably thinking about it. I bet if I could see their expressions from here, they'd be grave, tired and worn.

"Okay. We'll just have to stick with your first idea. Pairs it is. Belikov you'll come with me, Hathaway you'll go with Celeste…" and it continued from there. The only useful info I got form this gathering was when they talked about where to search.

"Check the surrounding woods but if you've hit the old buildings you've gone to far. It's unlikely they're there because hardly anyone knows they even exist and still stand," Kirova ordered.

"Which is why we should check there. Where else would they be able to hide?" Alberta rebutted.

"Those buildings require keys. The windows are too high for anyone to climb and the doors are strong enough to with hold the damage someone might do to get into said buildings."

"The only one in use is the one Tasha Ozera was staying in and that's been checked out," Belikov informed them.

Of course he would know. It was obvious that they were into each other but also creepy. But I had enough love problems of my own. I believed Alberta than I did Kirova. After all, she knew the school grounds like a map but she'd have to follow Kirova's orders. Instead, I'd go against them.


	14. Laughing At The Irony

CPOV

First instinct tells me to wait until they're at least a few minutes ahead of me and then move. When have I ever gone with my instincts? Honestly I've preferred going against them and look where that's gotten me for the past seventeen years.

I moved from my hiding spot and edged around the building of one of the main hallways. I was about to move down the stairs leading to where the body was found earlier today when I walk right smack dab into two people.

"Christian!" Mia shrieked a little too loudly. Eddie shushed her and checked to make sure she wasn't heard and we weren't found out sneaking around when we weren't supposed to. With the way things were going today, we'd be suspected of betrayal and treachery. They'd think we were in on everything. For the second time tonight, I clamped my hand over her mouth silencing someone. She nodded, signaling she'd speak in a whisper from now on. Today's been weird enough so it didn't surprise me that they were the first people I run into.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked pulling them further into the edges of the woods.

"We're searching for Rose and Adrian." She told me.

"I'm going to assume you're doing the same," Eddie said, cocking a brow. I nodded more paranoid that we'd be caught now.

"I don't suppose I could talk you guys out of –"

"No," they interrupted in unison.

"Okay, let's go then."

We treaded through the woods following an old path towards the old buildings. I told them about my feeling to go against and the opposite way of Kirova's orders and towards the old safe house, watch buildings.

"Does this seem ironic to you?" Mia asked in a strong whisper. We could hear the footsteps of guardians in the far distance and the light emanating from their flashlights. We were crouched behind a large bush waiting until we were sure the coast was clear. Eddie, the only novice trained in combat and strogoi detection in this group, was making sure when it would be good to move.

"What do you mean?" I asked looking around.

"I me-ean, that hello, for the second time in not even a year, we're together looking for one of our own to save them from strogoi…and students of course. The situation is reversed a bit but still the irony still holds."

Now that she mentioned it this was ironic. This time though it was Mia and Eddie with me saving Rose and Adrian. We all know how this ended last time.

"You have a point thee. What are you doing here at the academy anyway?"

She shrugged. "Visiting. My dad shipped me here to finish my tests and what not and practice with elements. There are some things they don't even teach at The Court. Looks like he sent me back at the wrong time though. Eddie ran into me in the main office and filled me in on the deats."

"Ah," was all my reply was. I was surprised Eddie was up and walking around. He lost his best friend, was involved and taken in an attack on the school and was almost sucked dry of his blood. It'd been a tough two months for him.

APOV

The three of them stood over us, Jesse looking small compared to the other two. A scowl was set on his face, bruised from Rose's earlier hold. He was also cradling his arm it seemed. That mad me chuckled.

"What the hell could you possibly be chuckling at?" he asked, a worse profane word on his mind.

"You. You were only able to kick Rose when she was already down. Just shows how much of a weakling you are," I mocked. What could I have to loose besides my life and the blood that went with it.

"Shut up," he snared.

"Silence. The both of you," Stan shot, turning his gaze from me to the wimp in the corner. I seriously considered risking my life to knock the sense out of him for attacking Rose but the whole being out number thing really didn't weigh in my favor.

Damn.


	15. No Plan Is Close To Perfect

APOV

My senses were dulled, my head lolled, and I felt like a hung over drunk. Basically I felt as I always did. The little light that shone through the barred window was limited now with clouds rolling in. From the far distance I could hear arguing. Rose was still unconscious which either meant either she had a good smack on her head or she was dead.

I shook my head, resisting, trying not to think about it. I couldn't help her with my hands tied tight around my back. I tried scooting over towards her but it was no use. I was about as useful as I am when I'm drunk.

We're dead.

The arguing from upstairs grew louder.

"…_letting your ego and stupidity get the best of you. You idiots could've screwed everything up. Luckily, it's fixable," _Stan's voice scolded. I could imagine the gang cowering in the corner like scared bunnies.

Ah, what an image.

I chuckled to my self, insanity finally starting to fully consume me. The lack of blood and alcohol in the past few hours didn't help either. I glanced over at Rose, hoping should be awake laughing with me but she didn't stir. I imagined this was what it was like when she was first kidnapped. Except now I'm on the other side of the situation.

Lucky me.

CPOV

We were this much closer. I could nearly feel it. We checked the other safe houses and they weren't there, so unless I was wrong, they had to be at the old brick building.

I was surprised. Mia had on the highest heels I'd ever seen and still was able to keep up with Eddie and me without any complaining or coaxing.

There are such things as miracles.

We'd kept a little distance away from the search parties, so in case we did get our selves in trouble help would be near, treading lightly behind low fallen trees and high bushes. The light mist kept us hidden well thank goodness. Maybe after all of this is over I'll pop into church and thank the big guy up stairs.

"We're they going?" Mia asked stopping suddenly. I crushed right in back of her almost knocking her down.

"Jeeze, Christian. Do you mind? These are no Gucci but its all I have and I'd like to keep them in good shape," she nagged. Something's never change. I shook my held rolling my eyes.

"I'm so sorry. Forget about saving our friends from having the blood suck out of them, being beaten to death, or murdered but heaven forbid I step on your knock off shoes," I hissed. She did a scoff girl thing, rolled her eyes and flicked her hair behind her turning away.

Women.

"I think they're changing their course," Eddie announced.

"Why do you say that?" I asked peeking over his shoulder through the dishes.

"They're heading east, back towards the main buildings. To report to Alberta and head mistress Kirova no doubt."

"Then we're going to have to go into the brick safe house without any help near by. You guys okay with that?" I asked leaning back on my heels. Mia was dusting off her boots but listening nonetheless, to my surprise.

"The fire wielding moroi asks, the future guardian and the water specializing moroi," Eddie joked.

I felt like a dhampire. My senses were heightened; I could feel the tension, hear the voices inside the building, and almost smell and light whiff of fear emanating from the three of us. And yet I thought confidently, _we can do this. _

"How many do you think?" Mia asked. We listened, the windows too high to see through. We could hear the faint conversation from cracked windows. Eddie cocked his head to the side letting the vampire in him and training take over.

"Too many for just us to go against."

"Do you think we should go and tell the other-"

"No," Eddie and I interrupted in unison. We were on either side of her and shooting her an 'I can't believe this' look.

"Why? They'll listen."

"The sooner we get Adriana and Rose, the better. I saw this gang yesterday and Jesse and Ralf were as cocky as assholes as ever. For all we know one of them could be dead and the other being tortured. Therefore. No guardians," Eddie explained. "In the end they'll come though."

"Yeah," I agreed. "When they realize we're missing and they find our bodies. Then we'll be safe and secure." Mia whipped her head around to face me. "Well our bodies will at least." She scoffed again. "Hey, no plan is perfect," I shrugged.


	16. It's A Little Late For Regreat

CPOV

"Okay. Here's what our options are," Eddie offered. "We can sit here, wait for someone to leave this building and then sneak in-"

"And risk getting the recklessness slapped out of us," Mia put in.

"Oooor, we can sneak around the building, I hear there are at least one or two low windows, and hope we get lucky."

"And still risk getting the dhampire slapped out of you and the magic slapped out of us!" I think, I was going to choke her. Instead I unclenched my fist closest to her face and exhaled loudly to get her attention.

"Why don't we just stay positive? I think the second plan is less risky than the first." Eddie nodded in agreement, Mia leaned her head back against the brick wall. "You don't have to do this you know?" She squinted her eyes at me like she couldn't believe what I was saying. "Are you fudging kidding me? Rose saved my ass once before. I owe her big. Even this won't cover the debt I owe her. I'm grateful; I owe her my life and the chance at a very awkward friendship. So let's go." Her little speech shocked Eddie and me into paralysis. She moved a quarter of an inch to circle the building when the front door suddenly opened.

We sunk as low into the bushes as possible ears and eyes open, mouth shut and breathing stopped.

It was Stan and two strogoi in as close as a buddy-buddy friendship as a strogoi and dhampire could be.

"…Can't believe we let our selves involve such little bastards," one strogoi was ranting angrily. Stan smiled and stepped off the front steps towards the trees.

"Not our best idea but in do time we can use them to our advantage."

"I hope you mean blood wise," the other perked up. He ran his tongue along the tip ends of his exposed fangs. "Anything other than that is not worth it."

"That's where you're wrong my friend," Stan laughed in an evil villain type way. They slowly walked towards the surrounding forest. Stan pulled out a cigarette in an Adrian type way.

_I can't believe this. _Eddie and Mia's eyes were as wide as mine were: like an owls, mouth dropped below the earths crust.

"Now there I agree with you," the first strogoi said. He was dressed in what Lissa used to call 'trendy' sweater shirts. "They can come of use. Finish recruiting, increasing our population…."

"Taking over the moroi/dhampire government," Stan finished lighting the cigarette. I am only just now realizing how much I've actually hated this guy. "Getting high rankings as the strogoi who've killed the rest of the standing moroi and anyone who gets in our way, blah, blah, blah…."

The blood thirsty strogoi from before did a Mia eye roll and then turned stepping towards Stan. "Fine. No blood from the bastards but what about you?"

_Was he gay?! _He was after all wearing a bright silk red shirt. I shuddered and continued listening. He turned to the trendy shirt strogoi. "Why are we keeping him alive?"

"Because we need him, Eli. If he is turned while still working from the outside out, how exactly do you think that'll help us when they start noticing his red eyes?"

The 'gay' strogoi turned away mutters what sounded like Russian profanities under his breath.

"But in do time," the trendy guy, said. Stan, who I had expected to at least looked panicked, leaned back against the tree and inhaled smiling, looking forward to turning. I'd given him too much credit as the world-renowned asshole.

"I think I should sneak around back," Mia whispered when it seemed like nothing mre important would be said.

"Like hell you are. No offense but you're too much of a damsel to let you go off on your own." She bit the side of cheek holding back a slur of insults.

"He's right Mia. No."

"I'm smaller. I can squeeze easily in between the bushes and shrubberies around the building, to see if the coast is clear, and if there is a low window, I can slip into it as silent as a mouse."

I resisted insulting her at that. Seeing we were convinced she continued explaining. "Plus, if I do say so my self, I've been doing a kick ass job at using water, therefore…" She trailed off waiting for me and Eddie's response.

We nodded.

She crept around us and slipped in between the bushes. "Meet you guys around back. Good luck," she whispered.

We waited for them to at least leave or go back into the house so we could follow soon after.

"Did it suddenly get quiet?" I asked. Eddie leaned past me to make sure Mia was out of sight and gone.

"I don't know but we should move before they spot us."

I glanced back at the open area the three 'things' most people would call men were standing.

They were gone and instead standing right over us. I leaned over to Eddie and whispered, "I think it's a little late for that," I said gesturing toward the men looming over us. I cleared my throat before speaking. "Well I think we've heard enough, Edward. Shall we," I said getting ready to stand.

"I think you've heard too much," the gay strogoi said smiling. "Fresh meat always the best."

Before I could blink they hoisted us off of the ground, our heights similar to theirs, noticing now how young they really were, around the same age us. Stan stepped forward from behind them.

Wimp.

"Mr. Calhoune and Mr. Ozera. I wish it hadn't come to this," he said like he'd said it so many times before, rehearsed.

"I'd like to bet against that," I offered. Eddie clenched his jaw. Before any more was said Stan interjected.

"Put 'em with the others."

"What!" The gay strogoi growled.

"They're as much as an advantage as the others. Do as I say and put them wit the others." He looked like he was about to turn on Stan and behead him here and there. Instead the trendy dressed strogoi shot him a look and gestured toward the back of the building.

"No need bringing the miscreant idiots into this."

They pulled out a window, hidden by brush and leaves, and shoved us through. We were in the air twenty seconds before hitting the ground.

"Ouch," I grunted.

Eddie sat him self up easy, used to bruising by now. I sat up beside him a second later struggling for air.

"Whelp, I hope one of us has a plan B," I said dusting the knees of my jeans off.

"I hope both of you do," Adrian said. He was bound and tied on against the opposite wall beside an unconscious Rose.

"This wasn't exactly how I meant for this to end," Eddie admitted.

"Now he tells me."


	17. Smartass SleepingBeauty Thinking Barbie

APOV

First, I hear the grunting and pleading, then the high window opening and then the quick whoosh and smack of Eddie and Christian hitting the ground. Eddie sits up, Christian after him.

"Whelp, I hope one of us has a plan B," Christian said dusting the knees of his jeans off.

"I hope both of you do," I said from the other side of the room. Their heads snapped up in unison, surprised and hint of relief.

"This wasn't exactly how I meant for this to end," Eddie admitted.

"Now he tells me," Christian says rolling his eyes. Great. We're trapped, bound and possibly going to be killed and they bickering old married couple are our heroes.

Great.

"Well at least there's a silver lining in all of this," I said a sardonic smile on my face.

"What could possible be the silver lining in all of this?" he asked annoyed.

"You found us." They both exhaled heavily.

"No shiz Sherlock," he shot back. He still held a certain amount of hatred towards me much to my amusement. They both eyed Rose on the floor beside me. "Is she okay?"

"Hope so. She's been out for a while now," I told them the amusement in my voice fading. We sat in silence letting the same thought occur to us.

_She could be dead. _But I would've sensed that by now. Wouldn't I?

"Hey. Why aren't you guys bound like us?" I asked sounding like a whiney little kindergartner.

"Guess they forgot. They don't exactly have the sharpest fangs in bunch, if you know what I mean," Christian joked.

"True. So how do we get out of here?" Eddie asked standing up. Even he, six foot two, was too short to reach the window.

"Is that one of those rhetorical questions?" I asked. Christian moved to unties us but stopped in his steps.

"Do I really want too do this?"

"Ha ha ha. We laugh hysterically now untie us." He gave me a quizzical look, raising his brows but shrugged my sanity off and came to untie us both.

"They should've gagged you instead of bound you," he mumbled. He moved over to Rose next and undid the tight rope around her wrist and ankles. We turned her over and felt across her head for where the bump was. She had a goose egg on the top of her head, pleading profusely and two slits across her brow and forehead.

She had a pulse though.

"She's alive," I sighed in relief.

"Can you heal her?"

"I haven't fed in a while so that would be a negative."

"Neither have I."

"Well this has been one hell of a day," Eddie said, jumping to push the high window open to no avail. "Where the hell is Mia?"

"Mia's here?"

"She helped us on the way over here and went to find a way in to see if you guys were in here but we got moroi knapped before we could meet her," Christian explained.

"How do we know they just haven't got her too?" Pointing out the obvious. Duh.

"Because unless there are multiple basement like rooms like this, she'd be in here with us. This building is big but not that big," Eddie answered without turning around. He was on his toes now trying to get a glimpse outside. "Mia," he shouted in a whisper.

"Eddie?"

CPOV

Mia was crouched low on the ground where the high window was. This room must have been built deep into the ground. She poked her head close to the window.

"Hi you guys!" she greeted in a high-pitched girly voice. Oh great. Barbie is here to save us.

"Looks like once again the girl is here to save the day. Once again," she mocked.

"Mia!" we scolded in a hiss.

"All right all right. Is everybody okay? I bet you guys thought I'd bailed huh?"

"No. We just thought your damsel in distress self got captured like the rest of us but here you are," I said in an overly cheery voice.

"Much to our appreciation of course," Adrian added in Eddie nodding in agreement ignoring my comment.

"Riiiiiiiiight," she drawled. "Anyways, all hateful feelings aside. What's the plan Stan?"

We glared at her. "Oops. Poor choice of words."

"Look," Eddie interjected before Adrian or I could make a comment. "There are five us, one unconscious, two dhampires, three moroi, and about twenty and something strogoi. We have to either get away clean and win with our lives or fight and hope we win."

"Would it be foolish to go with the latter?" she asked. She peaked over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind her.

"It would be foolish not to," Adrian mumbled. He lifted Rose onto his lap and cradled her head concentrating. He was trying to heal her even with lack of energy.

"We already have one unconscious person we don't need another," I whispered while Eddie and Mia thought out a quick plan. He bit his tongue and nodded letting it go. Who'd a thought the day would come where Adrian would take something I said and used it, much less taken it into consideration. Hell has frozen over.

"Fight it is," Eddie was saying. "You think you can grab a few long thick pieces of wood or something. It won't kill them but it'll take them down long enough to get away and get the rest of the guardians out here."

"You're in look. The storm that the week before last left us our," she pulled a long stick from behind her, "weapons."

"Good. Find more. As many as you can without being caught. I'd have you go and get the guardians your self but we don't know if the other strogoi are already treading through the woods. You wouldn't be safe alone."

"Whatever. I'm as tough as any one," she boasted. There was a loud door slam from upstairs causing her to jump and slightly yelp.

"You were saying?" I asked. She squinted her eyes at me and leaned up to stand. Her sweater was covered with leaves and bits of grass.

"Be careful and keep an eye behind you. Don't stray too far into the open or away from the safe house," Eddie warned.

"Okay mom," her fading voice said. I could hear her light footsteps as they tip toed away.

"Some safe house," I mumbled. Eddie turned and resisted a Mia eye roll. "Look. I maybe have a little bit of firepower left before I'm out. What about you Adrian? You have the tiniest bit of energy left that doesn't involve spirit?"

He looked up tearing his eyes away from Rose. "Think so. But what do we do about sleeping beauty?"

Eddie stared. I realized that was his thinking expression. "Well. We're all tall enough to hoist her through the window. Mia can pull while we push and then stash her in the bushes while we act out our plan."

He looked for approval from Adrian and me. I turned and actually waited to see what he'd say.

"Rose is going to kick our asses for stashing her in the bushes but, it's worth a shot."

"Here we go. Another plan," Mia sighed peeking through the window again. She dropped down twenty thick strong pieces of wood. "Hope it ends better than your last one."

Barbie, The Thinker, The Healer, The Smart Ass and Sleeping beauty. All for one and one for all.

We're screwed.


	18. Dreamig Up My Best Friend

AN: I am oh so sorry for not updating as often as I would have liked to and all of you guys would've liked me too. Been a little crazy around here but I'm back on track and typing again.

LPOV

The row of faces turned in my direction, filled with sympathy and curiosity. The dorms were packed since everyone was ordered to stay in their dorms with the security breech. Right now I could care less. I had to get to Rose and Adrian and I had a rush of anger to give me a boost.

"Hey, where are you…" the woman behind the desk asked getting ready to stop me but I marched right past and forced the doors open. The second I stepped outside, the scene changed. I was in a cold room that was blue concrete from floor to ceiling and one window. In the middle of the room stood a girl facing away from me. I could hear her trembling and see her shaking, muttering to her self.

Still a little confused about the sudden change of scenery, I twirled in a circle looking around before speaking.

"Hey do you know where-"

The girl turned in one quick motion and faced me, startling me. I was about to take a step back when it hit me. It was Rose.

"Oh my god! Rose are you…where are you…where are we?"

"Oh my goodness Liss!" she shrieked hugging me tight. "I was so like…well almost scared…I remember being knocked out cold and…I'm…I think I'm in this room with Adrian and Christian and Eddie and…even Mia!"

"What?" I asked confused.

"I can hear them and see them but…I can't get their attention but I need their attention because Liss they're going to stuff me in a bush! What the hell? Am I a freaking plant? Do I look like a fern that needs to be rooted? I don't think so."

I laughed and smiled at her always-sarcastic sense of humor. I hugged her and pulled back again, the situation dawning on me.

"Wait they can't hear or see you?"

She shook her head. "I can see them and even me, my self and I lying in an unattractive position on the floor."

"You're not…dead are you?"

"Sure as hell hope not. I'm too young to die!" she shrieked slightly joking but I could see the worry in her eyes. "SO how are you…talking to me right now?"

"I think we're in a dream…weather its your or mine I don't know but my bet is that it's your dream 'cause not to go all school yard on you but I was here first. I think…it's a shadow-kissed affect. I needed you really badly and suddenly…you were here."

"Where exactly is here?" I asked eyeing the place. I felt out of place in my H&M sweater and designer jeans and silver ballet flats.

"I'd say I felt out of place too but…my outfit is a little bit too much Target slash Ross slash Charity Case R Us," Rose said reading my thoughts. Even in dreams. "And to answer your first question, here would be…well in this room where I am with the others. Its where Jesse and his moroi version of Hell's Angel gang took us."

"And that would be?" she shrugged not sure.

"One of the old guard houses I guess but I was knocked out remember. Adrian should know. If there was anytime I wanted a visit from Adrian in my dream, it would be now."

"You can say that again," I mumbled. I sat on the cold stone floor. Rose sat cross-legged in front of me. "I suppose I should be trying to save all of you guys. Normal people would be freaking out about this dream thing and you guys being kidnapped but I'm-"

"Tired?"

"Reading my mind again Rosie?"

"No. I just know how you feel Goldy Lockes." I smiled at the reference to my hair and relaxed a little. "I don't think you need to worry though. The boys have a plan, apparently the first one didn't go well, but besides the part about sticking me in a bush, it sound full proof. For now, me and you are safe, in our own little world." I smiled liking the idea of this.

"Just the two of us."

"Just like how it used to be," she added.

I wanted to stay here, as long as I knew Rose in the real world was okay and so was everyone else, I wasn't needed any where else but here in this dream state with my best friend.

"So what exactly do w do here?" I asked.

"Well, from what Adrian tells me and shows me, the arrogant show off, you can do anything here. Do you guys ever actually practice spirit?"

"I guess not," I replied sheepishly.

"Good, then this gives me a chance to play Adrian and show off." She stood up, wiping the back of here jeans off and held out her hands to help me up. "Lemme see what we can really do." She closed her eyes, still clutching my hands, and I followed suit, concentrating. I opened one eye to see where this was going.

"Maybe its not working because we're not focusing on the same place and one of us isn't focusing at all."

"You sound all…like me! When did this happen."

"Must be the concussion. So where do you want to go."

"Let's go…to the beach! You love the beach ad I can never enjoy it with the whole sun thing. Maybe it'll work here."

Our thoughts linked together at the same time and suddenly we were surrounded by water, in the water!

"Wow! Maybe I should've thought of the sand," I mumbled.

I went splashing through the water in my jeans, not caring when I realized I was the only one splashing around. Rose stood still staring at the water.

"What are you-"

"Shush! I'm listening."

"To what exactly?"

"Liss you have to wake up! Christian's in trouble."


	19. Silently Updating

AN: Chapter was a little boring I know but it's going to get better.

LPOV:

I stood, mouth agape, and waves hitting me from behind.

"What? I don't want to leave I'm sure that-"

"Liss, do you here me right now! Go Christians in trouble. You can always come back. I have a weird feeling I'll be here," she said in a low voice. I stood reluctant.

"Maybe I can heal you here and you can…"

"I don't think it works that way in here-" she interrupted. "Adrian tried showing that to me once and all he could do was read me aura but right now you have to go and save my ass along with your boyfriends. Go!"

The echo of her yelling vibrated through me. I covered my ears as the dream-beach Rose and I conjured up broke into pieces around me and I jolted awake, panting. I was in my room on my bed where I had fallen asleep except that from the knees of my jeans down, I was soaking wet. The echo of Rose's voice rang in my head again reminding me. I jolted out of bed and headed out of the dorm room ignoring all stares, glares and protesting faces as I ran by.

DPOV

Lissa ran head first into Alberta. We weren't far into the forest, but on the edges of the woods. All guardians in the perimeter turned, ready and alert for an attack, standing tall and ready wielding stakes and guns.

I lifted my hands up in a defensive potion motioning that it was Princess Lissa. The eased a little and continued searching. I leaned down to help both ladies up. The wiped themselves off. Alberta turns abruptly to Lissa waiting for an explanation. Headmistress Kirova appeared beside me eyeing the situation.

"What is going on here?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Alberta said. Lissa looked frantic and wide-eyed. She set her eyes on me explaining that she thinks she knows where Rose, Adrian and now three more missing students, Mia, Eddie and Christian are.

"They're missing too?" Janine asked standing beside Kirova. The four of us stood in front of Liss like a grand jury.

"Yes. They went looking for Rose and Adrian but they were caught them selves by Jesse and his moroi gang."

LPOV

_Stan's in on this too, _Rose whispered to me. I was about to respond mentally but I shook my question of 'til later.

"Stan is in on it too," I said not sounding so sure about my self.

"What? How can that be?" Kirova asked. She looked around as if expecting him to suddenly materialize.

_He turned against all of us. He's not strogoi but he's on their side. _

I repeated Rose's words. They eyed me, wanting to question how I came about all of this information but with everything going on, they put it off and asked me one too many question about where and how many.

"Whoa! Whoa! I am only one person. One question at a time please," I demanded holding my hands in front of my face.

_Where and how many? _I asked mentally.

_One of the basements of the guardhouses and too many! Hurry!_

I relayed what she said. The second the words left my mouth, every one went every which direction. I followed automatically behind Dimitri hoping they wouldn't notice. Rose was updating and giving me silent advice.

_Oh, no, _she suddenly gasped.

_What?_

_Oh my gosh! They bi him, they bit Christian. _

The floor was pulled out from under me and I hit an outstretched branch blacking out, while Rose's voice echoed in my head.

_Liss! Hurry! _


	20. Believing The Bloodshed Around You

AN: I hope this story isn't confusing 'cause if it is I can always delete and update again. Let me know by R&R-ing. Suggestions are always great and appreciated!

RPOV

I could feel Liss fade into darkness, unconscious. I silently cursed my self for telling her about Christian being bitten. He was on the ground, blacking in and out sputtering blood from his mouth while Mia was being cornered by Stan and two (not to stereo type) gay looking strogoi into a tree.

Adrian and Eddie were going fist to fist with two other strogoi while a third snuck up behind them. My automatic dhampire sense kicking in I run forward ready to take the third strogoi on my self. He jumps at my sudden appearance.

_They can see me. _

I fight him, my fingers suddenly materializing. I get a good few punches in and take him down. Adrian surprisingly gets his strogoi down and is holding him with his knees, while Eddie grabs a thick smooth branch and plunges it through his heart. It doesn't kill him but knocks him out. Adrian motions to Eddie to look in the direction where the strogoi I took down lays.

Eddie's brow furrows. "Who did that?"

"I did!" I shout frustrated. Adrian jumps back a little as Eddie stabs the strogoi he took down.

"Rose?"

"You can see me!" I shout excitedly. He nods slowly while Eddie is looking lost.

"No but I can hear you. What the hell!"

"Eddie look out!" Left and right they come at us. We fight. I save Mia, again, while she prays under her breath. In between fights I'm explaining everything about how I was able to get into Lissa's dreams and how we can both talk through her mind. It's the wrong moment to explain but I felt obligated so no one was confused and distracted. In the middle of my explanation I could hear the shouts and footfall of guardians headed this way.

"Don't worry, back up is on the way," I said sounding like a cop. I knocked someone down while trying to get to Christian to see if I can help him but I hear the gurgled shouts of Adrian. I turn on one foot and see him on his back shielding his face. Two strogoi beating the nonsense out of him trying to get a good bite.

_It's too much! There's too many!_ I shout at my self. All of the emotion builds up inside me and I'm pulled from my ghostly state and back into my body.

I'm jolted awake from under the bushes. Feeling dizzy I manage to stand and run in the direction I feel Adrian's in. I run past the battling Eddie and strogoi, Mia, and the unconscious Christian and knock Adrian out of the way as Stan aims the only weapon he has, the sharpest stake I've ever seen and tosses it, hitting me square in the chest.

DPOV

Its hell all over again. Everyone is fighting somebody. The second all forty something guardians step through the brush and in front of the guardhouse, they're in the second worst war they've seen in weeks. There's blood from the fallen, screams from the attacked and shouts for more help. All the time I'm fighting, I'm thinking about her, wondering where she is.

APOV

Nothing but blood. I'd been attack before and I've been in fights before but not like this. I've never felt this worried. Rose came running out of nowhere. I couldn't tell if it was her ghost form or not but when I touched her she felt real, barely alive. Her eyes fluttered but the lie in them was dissolving. I wanted and needed all the spirit in the world to heal her. I thought of everything Liss told me, running all the motions through my head, blocking out the war around us. When that didn't work I realized I just needed to feel it, hope it was there and believe that spirit would help me out.

It did.

The second her eyes gave away and her breathing stopped for that long second she was awake again, gasping for air. Her wound was gone.

"Twice now," she coughed.

"What?"

"Twice now I've been taken out, three time's jolted awake because of you." We sat while she continued to struggling breathing. "But I guess I also have you to thank for saving my life."

"I'd say so," I reply with my sliest smile. She rolls her eyes and then moans looking like hell.

"I _feel _like hell," she says aloud, answering my thoughts. Before she realizes she answered my thought, we notice the sudden silence. The battle is over and the majority of strogoi are on the ground. Guardians are sprawled everywhere and in the distance I see a few strogoi trying to make a get away while guardians chase close behind them. Everyone is either crying, trying to stand or looking at the bloodshed around them. I pull Rose up. She looks at me her eyes wide.

"I did NOT just do what I think I did."

"Ah but you did my dear. Looks like me and you share a bond."

She makes a disgusted noise that doesn't come out all the way as she starts chocking again.

"Rose!" Lissa runs toward us, with a pained expression on her face. When she hugs Rose tightly I see a lump on the back of her head.

"Oh my goodness Liss your okay! I thought you were freaking out when I told you about Christian and then-" she stops, cutting her self off mid sentence.

"Christian!" they gasp in unison. They maneuver through the crowed, me following close behind them. Alberta stops us.

"Whoa! All of you are okay and accounted for." She sounds almost ecstatic. Eddie and Mia look grim behind her. All of us look like when trekked to hell and back and in a sense, we did.

"Not exactly," Mia says in a oft child like voice. "We can't find Christian."

"Mr. Ozera? Has anybody seen him!" People turn and look around waiting for him to appear but there's nothing.

"Rose what if he's-" Lissa cries to her in a whisper.

"Shh. It'll be okay," she soothes. Liss leans against her, looking weak and fragile as Roses mom steps forward.

"He left. With the others," she says, gloomily.

"What? No that's impossible. He was bitten, that would mean…" Lissa trails off as it finally sets in.

"He's turned," Eddie makes clear.

"Strogoi," Mia seconds. Liss shakes her head mumbling not wanting to believe it.

None of us want to be believe it.

None of us want to believe this is just the beginning.


	21. Hurting Aftermath

AN: Thing's will get a little more clearer I hope, in this chapter.

RPOV

There's a lot that happened in the few days afterward. It's all a little mind boggling and confusing and I was there but I think I can clear all of this up in the best way I can.

Adrian and I were kidnapped and attacked by a group of rouge students (Jesse, Ralph, their group of goons, Stan and other unknown strogoi). Christian, Eddie, and Mia all set out to save us as a returned long over due favor and as awesome friends (Christian included). Their first plan wasn't thorough nor thought out do they were captured a few moments after they found us except for Mia who managed to find weapons (a bunch of thick sticks) and trouble, being spotted by the strogoi as Eddie and Adrian stuffed me in a bush

(Which I'm still a little pissed about).

The battle started and everyone, back up guardians included, was in the fight for the fight of their lives, again. Christian was already taken down earlier, by surprise. No one, except my mom saw him leave as one of them. Before the battle, while the five rescuers (and rescuees) were trying to make a break for it, Liss and I were playing Imagine That while I was in a ghostly state.

Oh yeah. We were all cursed and our lives sucked and were complicated.

Plus to top it all off I forgot to mention I'm now bound to Adrian!

"This is all on a hunch and off of some research but it think that as a spirit user, when Adrian needed her badly enough at one moment, while Rose needed and wanted help, both needs were strong enough to pull her out of her 'ghostly state' and back into her body. That alone attached her to Adrian but when Adrian healed her, he sealed the deal or in this case, the bond," Dr. Odelenski explained, theorizing all the way. I vented about my little ghost escapade but left out the visit with Liss into her dreams. Liss was too out of it to say anything.

With everything that's happened, they seem to believe me now about the seeing ghost thing,

The good Dr. theorized on why I was temporarily in ghost form. "The shadow-kissed affect is pulling her into the spirit world. It's said in one of Vladimir's diaries that once Anna felt so compelled and pulled to the ghost she saw that she actually was force to become one for a long while."

"Does this mean that Rose is in away dying!" Liss asked shouting. I rested my hand on her shoulder. It calmed her.

"No. It just means that often enough she'll disappear from us with only you and Mr. Ivashkov able to see he. The rest of us might be able to hear her but I'm not certain."

"Speaking of Ivaskov, am I permanently stuck in his head?" I'd asked jutting my thumb towards Adrian. I was grateful that he saved my life but being in his head had to be the worst consequence for that. Adrian smiled wickedly.

"I believe you'll remain bound to both of our spirit users."

Damn.

All of this news and new information plus the after affect of fighting in a battle wore us out. Each and everyone on campus retreated and remained in their dorm rooms without being ordered. More lives had been lost because of Jesse and his gang who by the way are all in Jail at Court awaiting trial, failing to get away unlike Stan who was actually seen and reported getting away with a few other strogoi and lost guardians.

He is currently the most wanted man in our secret dhampire moroi world but what I hear there are also a few hits out on his head in the human world too.

The thought of being betrayed by such a trust guardian ahs everyone spooked. Its like finding out your mother or father is plotting world domination or your best friend is a mass murderer.

It hurts.


	22. Connecting The Moroi

AN: I'm still typing with the love and support of all of you awesome fans pushing me forward! Hope ya like it!

RPOV

I'm on my way to see Liss (even though I can do that now without having to leave me room I've been advised, told, and ordered not to) when I hear someone behind me. Paranoid, I spin around with a flying kick hitting Adrian straight in the jaw.

"Damn it Rose! I thought you would've heard me coming. I need this jaws for kissing!"

I laughed at the pained expression on his face. It was like this past week had no affect on him at all.

"Sorry," I giggled not really meaning. "But that oughtta teach you not to sneak up on me. Spirit bound or not, make noise when you walk." I turned still heading for Liss's. I could hear him follow close behind me.

"So, about this spirit thing-"

"Let's get this whole situation straight. You don't want me in your head."

"Damn right. This guys got a little privacy but you're welcome to explore and find out," he flirted.

"I'd rather not. You don't want me in your head and I really don't wanna be in your head so, as long as you keep all thoughts to a minimum and keep calm and I stay away from both you and

Liss when you're practicing spirit, we're good and I am going to hope and even pray that this bond between us will fade away with the less time we spend each other. So, unless you're dying or being kidnapped, all pun intended, you are to stay away from me. I need my head clear so I can focus on Liss and I don't need you and your chain-smoking drunken thoughts clouding my mind, keeping me from keeping her safe. Are we clear?" I asked facing him now. He stopped abruptly, smiling.

"Crystal my dear."

He was drunk.

I could feel the buzz emanating from his body to mine.

"Good." He dashed off, back to his room I presume (or at least that was the plan in his head), for another drink. Maybe that was the affect this battle had on him. It pushed him to drink more.

I thought about it as I walked into Liss's room. She was curled on the bed in old sweats clutching a t-shirt. From what I could get out of their, it was Christian's; one he let her ware after one of their rendezvous.

_It still smells like him_, she thought sensing I was in the room.

I lay beside her holding her close, letting her know I'd keep her safe. She responded with more tears.

"Why didn't I go? Why did I stay in that dream state with you? No offence Rosie."

"I know. I have something to tell you."

"What?" she asked wiping her eyes?

"I got sucked in to my…ghost form a few hours ago and I was able to visit him." She immediately sat up looking me square in the eye. Her face was more pallid and her eyes were lightless.

"What!"

"I don't know how I did it but. I was thinking about how he did and focusing on him I guess when suddenly I was in my ghost form. I saw my body hit the ground on the floor of my room and when I thought about Christian, I was there with him."

"Oh my goodness. Well where is he? What did he say?"

I didn't have a full heart to tell her.

"He's…strogoi. He's out on the outskirts of West Ridge, the center of Montana, hunting but he's getting ready to leave. Apparently to the strogoi it isn't safe here. Even if they want the last Dragomir dead. I didn't actually talk to him because he gave me the brush off and I was feeling weak but-"

"Please rose try again! Maybe we can go get him and-"

"And what?"

Her face fell discouraged.

"I don't know." We sat for a while listening to the quiet of the school. It was weird around here as if with the lives lost in both battles, the life of the school and everyone in it was sucked out. For a second, Liss was thinking hard running wheels and ideas in her head. I couldn't keep up catching the exact thought until it slammed into me.

"Lissa…"

"Rosie that's it! Remember when Dr. Odenlenski mentioned Vladimir's diary and what was in it. What if there's something in there that can bring back Christian the way I brought you back. Maybe I can heal him!"

"He isn't dead Liss."

"Well technically no but his spirit is and uses what I am?" she asked wearing the first smile I'd seen I months.

"You're a spirit user," I said reluctantly.

"Exactly. Are you with me?"

There was o way I was going to risk all of Liss's life by sneaking around trying to look for and use something that probably wasn't out there. The odds were against us in everyway but I was certain Liss was counting on my abilities and her's combined to get us through, No way. Absolutely not.

"Yeah," I said through gritted teeth. She noticed my expression and laughed, giddy with excitement, the thought of getting her love back.

She clapped her hands together jumping on her knees on the bed.

"Now, what's the plan?"


	23. Random Acts of Research and Outburst

RPOV

There isn't enough sanity in the world for this plan to work. I don't believe and I'm the queen of insanity. Lissa and I have gone through every website, book, and person wit information about strogoi and healing and what not.

We've got nothing.

Did that stop Liss from planning our second great escape to save her boy toy?

Of course not

As a matter of fact, unlike me, she chose to use her frustration as determination while I cussed out every blank and useless book. So with a big pile of heaping nothing, here's Liss's plan:

**We get outside help from Tasha.**

My thoughts on that idea are too profane to mention. I didn't protest, not wanting to give Liss a reason to question my dislike of Tasha.

**Part two of the plan:**

Make a back up plan if Tasha is unwilling to help.

**The back up plan:**

There isn't one.

The only accurate plan we do have is when we leave:

**A week from now. **

Counting down the days until our departure is driving me more and more insane day by day. The tension around the school is suffocating; the daily hang over's from Adrian's binge drinking are making me sick to a point where if I even blink I feel nauseated, Lissa's private and yet constant thoughts about Christian and a handful of ghost sightings.

Not just Mason sightings but all kinds of ghost.

Ghost of people I've never even seen before but who ask for my help or for me to do something for them.

I'm actually starting to feel like the half vampire/ghost whisperer.

For the first time in weeks I'm alone and in a odd way, have my head space to my self. Adrian is unconscious and Lissa is just asleep. I use this all to my advantage. I pull on my long gray sweater, my white tennis shoes, and a binni since it's still a little cold. Slipping past the hallway watch is easy since his back is turned.

I don't know where I'm heading but at the moment, I'm too giddy to care. I wander carefully in the open but still hidden enough not to be seen, seeing as the last time few times I've wandered I was kidnapped and threatened. Not to mention Headmistress Kirova's stern warning that if any of us were seen wandering about she'd ship us to an unknown wasteland.

My mind is clear and I'm in a way, smiling since, for once and the first time in weeks, I don't feel weird or crazy or scare.

I feel numb like nothing can hurt me in this moonlight.

I feel like Liss does when she uses spirit.

"Have you learned nothing from the past year about wander about alone?" Of course, I had expected this. It was pretty obvious Dimitri would eventually show up in my moment of…bliss.

Not that I'm objecting.

He steps out of the shadows of the trees and into the moonlight.

"Obviously I'm not that type of girl who learns her lesson."

"Obviously," he agrees.

"Alberta have you on watch?" I ask. We walk into step going nowhere specific.

"Just about every guardian in our world is on watch. Which is why I'm wondering, how exactly did you get out."

"With my awesome sneaking guardian skills." He shakes his head in disbelief a rare ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Rose," he sighs.

In an comfortable silence we end up walking by the church where the lights are still on. Father Andrew is moving about, shifting big boxes from place to place. Automatically we go inside.

"Father Andrew, do you need help sir?" Dimitri asks. His chivalry is appreciated and we end up helping Father Andrew.

Again.

And again we come across more books that summarize at the stories of moroi magic and their guardians.

"Anything new on Anna and Vladimir?" I ask paging through a paper back with sketched and painted photos of people from ye olden centuries. Father Andrew looks up from a box he's taping up. I turn my back away from Dimitri but not before I see him look up.

"Actually, yes. I heard about your recent bond with two spirit users, which got me thinking about the affect it might have on you as one bond did on Anna. Curiously enough-" he picks up a tattered brown book. "-Lead me to discover this." I put the book I'm looking through down and reach for the old one. The cover is hanging by a thread and the pages are edged with old.

"I'm sorry to say that Ana's side affects to Vladimir's magic are worse than we thought. Even on the rare times Vladimir didn't use spirit, Anna had these…spells."

"Spells?" Dimitri asks from behind me. I'm still silently leafing through the old book. It has old slanted writing in it.

A journal.

"Yes. She had claimed to see ghost and by memory from Rosemarie's previous questions about the after life I'm guessing you've seen such spoken of ghost haven't you?"

My silence is answer enough.

"Seeing the ghost is a side affect but it's also an ability." I appreciate his attempt to lighten my odd situation and the fact I got the bad end of the deal when Lissa healed me but I stay quiet.

Dimitri breaks the silence.

"These side affects. Are they what lead to Anna's death?" I think only I can hear the worry in his voice.

"Yes. And sadly, especially sighting ghost. Some ghost are said to have tormented her to a breaking point. The headaches and depression after Vladimir died didn't help much either. We're going to have to find a way around all of this or at least find a painless way to break the bond between the three of you."

This gets my attention.

"Wait, we? Exactly how many people are looking into this?" I could feel my blood boiling over.

"Yes. Although all I can really do is look for as many Vladimir and Anna based books as possible. It's going to be difficult-"

"How would you know? You're not the one bonded to not one but two spirit users?"

"Rose," Dimitri said softly, trying to calm me down. His hand rested on my arm but I shook it off.

"No! Difficult is actually being shadow-kissed. All any of you have to do is research and look up all of this useless crap but it isn't going to help me is it! None of you can possibly know what it's like to feel like your head is going to explode at any moment. You have no idea!"

Father Andrew seemed unfazed by my outburst, continuing talking in a low tone. "No we don't but that's why we're trying to help you."

"Really? Have you found anything so far."

He didn't say anything. I felt guilty for snapping for no apparent reason and this wasn't even the darkness talking. These words were all me.

Dimitri tried to calm me again by reaching out but I bolted heading straight into the night with no one chasing after me.


	24. A Sudden Ending

A/N: So when we left off, Rose was bound to two spirit users (Lissa and Adrian) and she was having a hard time dealing with the fact that she might die from these bonds. This will be the last chapter of the story, some questions unanswered and some loose ends untied but I've appreciated the fans!

I couldn't believe I yelled like that. I was acting the way everyone said I did: like a child. I had to calm down and think and process. Just think.

I ended up running back toward my dorm but not to my room, to the roof. The door was unlocked and I slipped through unseen. I leaned against the roofs railing and fought the tears behind my eyes. It wasn't soon before long that I heard the roof door open again.

"I doubt Father Andrew appreciate you yelling at him and then my hasty goodbye. That probably won't look to good in God's eyes," Dimitri tried to joke. I almost smiled. He stood close behind me. I could smell the sweet sent of his aftershave and feel the heat of his nearness. His hand was on my shoulder, squeezing tight.

"It's already happening isn't it Dimitri?"

"What is?"

"The change in me. I'm already going crazy and soon-"

"Rose. Don't," he interrupted.

I tightened my grip on the roofs rail, refusing to turn around because I knew if I turned around, the tears would spill. And I was tired of crying. I was tired of having to be saved and rescued and finding my self in tough situations but no matter how tired I was of all of this, it never seemed to go away.

Even now.

Even Dimitri was one of these situations.

"Can I ask you something?" I suddenly asked.

"Of course."

"If-if I do become like Anna-"

"Rose-" he was about to interrupt again.

"No, just let me get this out. If-if I were to become like Anna and I wasn't me any more, would you still…feel the same way about me as you do now."

I could hear his breath catch. I so badly wanted to turn around then but fought it. I wouldn't cry I wouldn't weaken. I'm strong…

"You know I would," he finally said. "Why would you even ask me that?"

Being strong willed, I suddenly felt the need to be not only completely honest with Dimitri but with my self.

"Because just knowing that you care is enough," I said sounding suddenly corny. The memory of old chick flicks Lissa and I sued to watch popped into my head.

Dimitri moved his hand from my shoulder and stood beside me at the railing looking down at the trees below. He sighed.

"Enough for what?"

"Lissa and I are leaving soon. We have to find Christian _and _a way to maybe save me and break this double bonding thingy," I admitted.

He hung his head a moment. I could easily tell when Dimitri was contemplating and thinking intensely. This was one of those times.

Finally he spoke.

"Is running away the answer to all of your problems?"

"Often it seems," I half laughed.

He sighed again.

"Finding Christian will only hurt Lissa."

"I know that but she needs this. It'll be good for her later on," I answered.

"I'd say I'm going with you but you'll only argue with me."

"True," I admit.

"And then I'd contemplate knocking you out making sure you cant leave but you'd find your way around that too wouldn't you," Dimitri laughed lightly.

"It's possible."

He stared down at the green below us again.

"Are you two ever planning on coming back?"

This was something Lissa and I had rarely discussed usually opting to avoid the conversation.

"I figure eventually we will because being a royal moroi and a dhampir guardian is apart of our lives and we'd miss it but knowing when to come back or even if we could…" I babbled.

Dimitri decided something then. I don't know how I read it on his face. Maybe it was the determined look his eyes held as he leaned from off the railing and stood long and tall in all of his six feet and seven inches. He lifted my chin up so I'd look up at him directly.

"Then I guess we'd better make your last nights here memorable."

This was a surprise. I think I might have even stumbled a little. I wrapped my arms around his neck suddenly before he could change his mind and take everything back. He looked at me lovingly then, with all of the care in the world replacing the heavy determination in his eyes.

And that's when I felt it.

The breath taking, heart stopping, most intense amount of pain in my head. I felt myself collapse into Dimitri. He caught me, saying my name repeatedly asking me what was wrong and what he could do. I couldn't explain it though. The right adjectives and descriptions didn't exist. The closest I could sum it up to would be having one's skin peeled off slowly, piece by piece, while someone worked your flesh over with a flame thrower.

I wished a million times that I would black out and not feel this any more. I wished I was dead not for the first time. Finally the pain in my head subsided with a tight twist and ache in my stomach and it was all over.

Dimitri had gotten me to the infirmary by the time it was all over. How he did it so quickly must have been practice with the hundred other times he's carried me in here. There was chaos though.

Behind my throbbing eyes, the numb feel coursing through my body, and above the loud screams coming from my mouth asking for it to all stop and go away, I could sense the infirmary was already dealing with another emergency.

And I could sense it was Adrian.

I managed to open my eyes enough to see Dr. Odenlenski and a handful of nurses running to where a guardian, Adrian's appointed guardian, laid him on one of the hospital beds.

It wasn't just the doctor's running. Guardians were running everywhere. All over the campus guardians were yelling, wielding stakes and all flowing the same direction.

Dimitri laid me in a random room and told one of the nurses what happened as brief as he could before giving me one last long look and leaving himself to see what was going on. I could hear it.

Everyone could hear it.

Stan came back to attack the campus with strogoi.

I could hear fighting and yelling and even a war cry hear and there but it seemed like, in my weird daze, it was all over soon enough and then there was the eerie silence. One of those silences you get after someone says something shocking, awkward, or unfunny. I could hear a pin drop.

Through the silence I took time to find Lissa through the bond. In trying to do so, I felt my head tighten and ache but I pushed through it. She was outside, holding Christian in her arms.

Dead.

He looked dead anyway.

He was bleeding from the side of his head and his sweater was tattered and almost thread barren, blood oozing from each wound that sat where it looked like stakes went in. She rocked him, mumbling so only his ears could hear and not the guardians standing around them shouting at her to let him go and get away from him. Alberta came through though and listened as Lissa explained the impossible.

Christian was a dhampir any more.

She saved him with her Magic.

After a brief awkward silence and a moment to take it all, Alberta insisted Christian be taken back to the infirmary and be further healed of his wounds along with anyone else that needed treatment.

The guardians disbanded almost reluctantly and went out in search of any other strogoi or wounded student or teacher. Albert and Dimitri, who had appeared during her explanation, stayed and helped her haul Christian to the infirmary.

Dimitri summarized what had happened to me and the three of them theorized that when Liss used her magic to heal Christian, it was strong enough to over come the three-way bond.

That could be the only explanation. I was still bound to Lissa though and for now that was okay. I just wanted normal again but I'd settle for this any day and deal with whatever trouble comes later.

I smiled to my self, sitting up in the infirmary bed.

They were in the infirmary themselves by now, the silence having passed and the usually noises of a strogoi attack returned.

I found out later that Stan was killed immediately but not before shouting that

"Prince Victor was right. No more should be entitled to the spirit power!" This freaked Liss out a while and even more so when she thought about people out there who oppose her newfound gift and abilities and the new element arising.

She's dealing though especially with Christian back at her side. After being subjected to a number of tests and asked to stand before the Royal court, Christian was proven a moroi again with little side effects.

Adrian, having experienced the same immense pain I did when Lissa broke our bond, left in search of other spirit users, even giving up drinking for a while. He promised he'd bring back plenty of spirit users to help and train so that they don't have to go through what we did. He's bent on helping the society now instead of wallowing the way he used to. His crush on me even totally forgotten.

Things are back to usual. A few stand outs here and there but we'll all get through it together. Graduation is coming soon and Eddie, Mia, Lissa, Christian, and I are ready for any trouble that comes along with it. After what we've been through anything's possible.

Dimitri and I convinced each other that it'd be all right to reveal our relationship after graduation.

As long as I had him here to make me stronger, we'd be fine.


End file.
